070 'personal' numbers (not mobiles) Higher risk
070 numbers look like mobiles (07…) but they are not. They are 'personal numbers' that forward to wherever the owner chooses — and they can be expensive to call. Scammers use them precisely because people mistake 070 for an ordinary 07 mobile.
Just had a call? Check if it was legal →Answer a few questions and get a verdict, the right regulator to report it to, and a ready-to-send complaint.What 070 numbers are
070 is a 'follow-me' personal-numbering range that redirects calls to another line. Despite the 07 start, it is not a mobile and often costs far more to call.
Who calls from 070 numbers
- A small number of individuals using a redirect service
- Frequently, scammers exploiting the mobile look-alike
How scammers use 070 numbers
Because 070 mimics a mobile, fraudsters use it to seem like a normal person while hiding their real line and charging a premium for call-backs. If a '07' number is actually 070, be extra cautious and don't call it back.
Cost warning. 070 calls can cost significantly more than a call to a real mobile — check before dialling.
Why the number on your screen isn’t proof
The single most important thing to know about any incoming call is this: the number you see can be faked. Through a technique called “spoofing”, a caller can make almost any number appear on your display — a bank’s real 0800 line, a local landline, even your own number. So the caller ID is a hint, never proof of identity.
Ofcom now requires phone networks to block many overseas calls that fake a UK landline number, and rules to block spoofed UK mobile numbers are on the way — but gaps remain. Until then, judge a call on what it asks you to do, not on the number it shows.
What to do when one of these calls comes in
- Never share security details — passwords, PINs, one-time codes or card numbers — on a call you did not start.
- If it claims to be your bank, HMRC or a company you use, hang up and call them back on a number from your card, statement or their official website.
- Don’t be rushed. Pressure to act “right now” is the most reliable scam signal.
- If money is involved, dial 159 to reach your bank safely; call 999 if you feel in danger.
Cut future nuisance calls
- Register free with the Telephone Preference Service — it becomes unlawful for UK companies to make live marketing calls to you after 28 days.
- Turn on your network’s free call protection — BT Call Protect, Sky Talk Shield, EE Scam Guard, and the O2 / Vodafone / Three apps screen known nuisance callers before your phone rings.
Where to report a bad call
- A marketing or recorded sales call → the ICO.
- A silent or abandoned call → Ofcom.
- A scam → Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 (Police Scotland 101).
Not sure which applies? The Cold-Call Checker works it out for you and writes the complaint.
Other kinds of number
Often legitimate
Often legitimate
Mixed
Higher risk
Higher risk
Premium cost
Higher risk
Mixed
Sources
This is general guidance about a type of phone number, not a claim about any specific number or caller, and not legal advice. Number rules and costs are current as of the date above and can change.